Fall 2026 Exhibition Announcement

Ocatilla: Frank Lloyd Wright’s
Lost Desert Masterpiece

Opening October 27, 2026

This fall, the Organic Architecture + Design Archives (OA+D), in partnership with the Chandler Museum and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, will present Ocatilla: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Lost Desert Masterpiece.

The exhibition brings to life Wright’s remarkable 1929 desert camp, an experimental, canvas-roofed encampment that existed for only a single season, yet fundamentally shaped his thinking about architecture, environment, and life in the desert.

Through rare archival materials, historic photographs, film footage, original objects, and a full-scale reconstruction of Wright’s Ocatilla office cabin, visitors will encounter a project that was both fleeting and deeply influential. The exhibition will explore how Ocatilla became a testing ground for ideas that later emerged at Taliesin West and throughout Wright’s desert architecture. By reconnecting visitors with this nearly lost chapter of architectural history, OA+D seeks to illuminate the enduring relevance of organic design in the American Southwest.

“An Ocatilla Evening”

Friday, November 6, 2026
6-8pm | Chandler Museum

Join Organic Architecture + Design Archives for a memorable evening celebrating Ocatilla: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Lost Desert Masterpiece, the landmark exhibition bringing Wright’s extraordinary 1929 desert camp back into public view.

Guests will enjoy a special exhibition viewing, hors d’oeuvres, drinks, a silent auction, and opportunities to acquire unique gifts while gathering with fellow supporters of architecture, design, and historic preservation.

Proceeds from the evening will support OA+D’s ongoing work to preserve, document, and share the legacy of organic architecture and design through exhibitions, publications, research, and archival stewardship.

Tickets are $75 per person.
Space is limited. Reserve your place for this special evening at the Chandler Museum.

GET TICKETS

EXHIBITION SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

OA+D is seeking financial partners to support the research, design, fabrication, and construction of this exhibition, including its centerpiece cabin reconstruction.

With a funding goal of over $50,000, sponsorship opportunities are structured to engage supporters at multiple levels of impact:

  • Partner | $10,000+
    Supports the exhibition centerpiece and receives primary recognition across the exhibition, printed catalog, and promotional materials.

  • Patron | $5,000+
    Underwrites the official exhibition catalog with prominent recognition in the gallery and in print.

  • Supporter | $1,000+
    Contributes to the research and execution of the Ocatilla cabin reconstruction, with recognition on the exhibition display and in the catalog.

  • Friend | $500+
    Supports essential design and fabrication phases, with recognition on the exhibition display.

Why This Exhibition Matters

Presented in conjunction with the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy conference, the exhibition will be viewed by an international audience of architects, scholars, and enthusiasts.

Ocatilla represents a pivotal moment in the evolution of organic architecture — an experimental project whose influence extended far beyond its brief existence. Reconstructing and interpreting this work provides a rare opportunity to study and experience a formative chapter in Wright’s career.

Be Part of This Work

Sponsorship of Ocatilla is a direct investment in the preservation, interpretation, and public presentation of an important moment in architectural history.

We invite you to join us in bringing this project to life.

BECOME A SPONSOR

EXHIBITION SPONSORS

Partner | $10,000+

Adrienne Schiffner and Alexander Dodge

Patron | $5,000+

Arizona Building Supply
James Logan Abell, FAIA  |  Abell Architects
Aris Georges
The Invisible Architect
Erin McCahill & Eric M. O’Malley
Michael Rust, Architect LLC
William C. Schoettker | Ardeco, Inc.
Norman Silk & Dale Morgan Charitable Fund

Supporter | $1,000+

Gerald Cook | Cook Associates Architects, Inc.
Jeff Culpepper | Investors West, LLC
Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation
Robert Hartmann
Derek Horn
Paul E Hruska
Eddie Jones
Amanda and Ken Krabacher
W. Kelly Oliver
Donna & John O’Malley
Sidney K. Robinson
William J. Schwarz, AIA
Philip Weddle | Weddle Gilmore Architects

Friend | $500+

Robert W. Baird
Douglas Becknell
Indira Berndtson
Brissette Architects, Inc.
Douglas & Kathryn Collins
Mark Hertzberg
T.K. McClintock
Erik Peterson
Rob Rainone
Diane Schrenk
Tim Quigley
Scott & Kristen Wright